A Question of Intelligence: The IQ Debate in America [Hardcover]

Daniel Seligman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1992

A look at the inequality in human intelligence addresses the sensitive issue of ethnic and national differences in IQ, outlining correlations between IQ levels and economic achievements, arguing for the continuation of the IQ tests many consider biased. 20,000 first printing.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Fortune magazine columnist Seligman here targets the prevailing wisdom that IQ tests are culturally biased, that environment is more significant than genetics. His provocative argument, based on academic literature and interviews with scholars, is convincing: IQ tests do indeed measure mental abilities, those abilities are in substantial measure heritable and testing is worthwhile for it generates data of enormous social value and explanatory power. Seligman debunks media coverage of Chicago teacher Marva Collins and others who claim to dramatically raise the IQs of disadvantaged children in the classroom. But the book rambles. He devotes too much space to the history of IQ testing and the background of psychologist Arthur Jensen and his controversial theory that intelligence is determined largely by genes, rather than fully exploring, for example, why Asians and Jews score higher on IQ tests. Seligman maintains that environmental effects explain only part of the gap in IQ test scores between American blacks and whites and stresses that many scholars believe that the differences are attributable to genetics. The book concludes with an attack on affirmative action and a proposal that people should be treated as individuals. Seligman is to be credited with raising issues in a debate that many shy away from as too heated.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Seligman, a former senior staff editor of Time Inc. Publications and a columnist for Fortune , utilizes professional opinion studies, and statistical concepts to endorse intelligence quotients. He discusses "practical intelligence" and academic performance, explains the nature-nurture hypothesis (heritability vs. environment), and explores the latter's significance in twin studies, black-white tests, and Jewish-Japanese comparisons. For more objectivity, Raymond E. Fancher's The Intelligence Men: Makers of the IQ Controversy ( LJ 6/15/85) encompasses the scientific inquiry from the contributors and creators of IQ and is loaded with direct quotes. This 85-year-old dispute, Seligman says, has developed because Americans want to believe in equality, but IQ only verifies difference. His scholarly yet readable update to the argument is recommended for large education collections. (Bibliography, notes, and index not seen.)-- Ina M. Wise, Daley Community Coll. Lib., Chicago
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 239 pages
• Publisher: Birch Lane Pr; 1st Printing edition (November 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1559721316
• ISBN-13: 978-1559721318
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.7 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,571,611 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent readable overview of IQ and media issues, November 2, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: A Question of Intelligence: The IQ Debate in America (Hardcover)

Part journalism and part personal essay, this fine little book is readable and, given the strong stand it takes, surprisingly mild. It makes an excellent choice for anyone who wants a quick summary of the issues, even if the reader disagrees. Of special interest to me were the revelations about the limitations of the case against Cyril Burt and the NY Times and other media's non-journalistic failure to review the books that have shown those limitations. The personal material on Jensen was enjoyable. Again, from the media he would seem to be a monster, not a liberal leaning nice guy. And the fact that he had to have special police protection for years is astonishing. The paperback was published in 1994 and it is now 1998. Perhaps the dogma against IQ measurement is weakening, for it seems to me that more and more credibility is being given to the fact that we are after all biological organisms. How long will it be until all of Seligman's points (which are the same as the overwhelming majority of experts on intelligence according to research by Snyderman) are accepted by the general culture?

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fine survey of the IQ 'controversy', May 23, 2007

By 

Joseph Bishop "Bibliophile" (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

I don't quite understand why this volume has seemingly received so little attention. I found it quite excellent in presenting a fair case to both sides of the 'debate' - which is rarely actually is - while still taking a considered position in support of IQ testing and its great value for society both as social predictors for individuals AND groups as well as in helping to formulate public policy at many levels.

Seligman doesn't hesitate to review authors and scientists and their work who are branded by liberal media as 'controversial' (read: anyone or any material that media disagrees with) and easily leads the reader through these people and works.

The author also takes on the black-white IQ issue and forthrightly demonstrates that there is indeed an IQ differential there of at least one standard deviation - and often TWO stand deviations - with blacks typically ranging 15-30 points below whites. He also fulsomely demonstrates that variability in IQ is 50-80% hereditary. Additionally, he points out that IQ and fertility are negatively correlated - i.e. that the least intelligent within society have the most children. These facts are of incalculable importance in assessing the American gene pool's current and future predicament - and no doubt charting the likely fate of civilization and culture too.

Seligman's book ought to be required study material in a whole range of academic disciplines, in addition to 'The Bell Curve'.

I recall reading 'The Bell Curve' in its entirety, which was published a little after Seligman's book (I believe), it was nowhere near as interesting and readable although it was vastly more detailed with statistics, tables, charts, etc. It is one of those works that is much cited but rarely actually READ.

Seligman cites the work of Richard Lynn here and there. Lynn has since published at least six of his own works, all of which are very important in this area, but are probably mainly only read by specialists.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent overview of the IQ debate, November 16, 2008

By 

Viewer (Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Question of Intelligence: The IQ Debate in America (Paperback)

Seligman writes brilliantly, and makes what could be a very technical discussion interesting & understandable. Seligman frames the controversy and how IQ tests have gone from being viewed as a liberal means to ensure a true meritocracy, to being demonised as oppressive. Seligman notes that part of this is because the results show individual and group differences, which goes against the egalitarian ethos that anyone can achieve whatever they set their mind too. Seligman also notes that the fact that ethnic groups differ in average performance has been particularly troubling and been one of the sources of opposition to them.

Seligman makes an excellent case that the tests do actually measure something that has real implications for a person's academic and even occupational performance. He addresses the common distinction people make between 'book smarts' and 'street smarts' and theories of multiple intelligences. He shows that accusations that the tests are biased are mislaid.

The portrayal of IQ tests in the media is something Seligman notes is particularly one-sided. He draws on the Snyderman, Rothman survey which shows the media portrayal is very different to that of the majority of psychologists, and political reasons have lead to this distortion.

The chapter on Jensen is great, as it provides some insight into the mind and motives of someone who has been unfairly demonised.

Seligman even deals with fears of eugenics, noting that the idea of equal rights under the law does not require everyone to have equal ability.

The book ultimately makes the case that IQ testing is a valuable tool. Group differences may exist, but individual performance overlaps and their suppression is not helping anyone.